Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Dave
A few ideas that worked for me:
Electrically disconnect the EBPV. These things stick and you wind up running with a virtual exhaust brake in cooler weather.
Install a EGT gauge and drive the truck to keep EGT below 600 degrees F. Can be done but you need a very light foot. This falls under the heading of adjusting the nut behind the wheel.
Learn to coast. Easy with a stick. My ex used to call me Sir Coastalot. These trucks can easily coast a mile or more in the right situation.
Keep an eye on your rear brakes. For some reason these big Ford have a way of hanging up one or the other rear brakes.
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Nice to see you're still on the site. Your truck and mpg are some of the things I've checked into. On your truck's page it lists these mods:
Single-shot injectors & five position chip
203 degree thermostat
What kind of experience did you get with the chip, do you run it on a hotter setting, or just for the high idle for winter, or what worked best for you?
Did you see any benefits to the 203 degree thermostat over stock?
I haven't had my truck long enough to get super solid mpg figures, but right now it's looking to be about 20-26mpg depending on conditions (slow and steady long trips vs short trips, both numbers michigan winter based).
The exhaust brake is already disabled (it was cycling on and off even while driving). It also leaks a little oil I think from the valve or something in that area, so I'll probably have to buy the disable kit for it.
Earlier in the thread, it was suggested to run the truck effectively floored but shift early to keep rpm down. I tried that with my last tank and got about 16mpg, but there was a lot of cold starts and idle time. It was also the coldest time of the year (down to below 0f at night). My block heater didn't work either so it was 100% true cold starts with bad glow plugs in the system lol.
Do you still have your truck, I saw the last log is in 2010. I'm planning to experiment with propane injection (low to mild amounts, not for power, but for the mpg effect). Most people claim 25-30% gains in mpg, cleaner burn, oil lasts longer, lower EGT's at low loads, but higher at higher loads.
I do plan to get an EGT gauge, thanks for the number to target. Based on a video I watched, it looks to be real easy to keep it under 600 empty. I guess that would probably be a pretty solid "instant mpg" style gauge for my truck.
My truck does coast pretty well, I've still been getting used to it. My corolla could coast close to a mile on flat ground from 55mph, but I normally drove it 45mph back then and targeted about 1/2 mile coasts unless someone was behind me. I've probably been doing 1/4 to 3/8 mile coasts with the truck, spoiled by driving not for max mpg for a while.
I figured you didn't read the whole thread, so that should catch you up on pretty much everything about the truck.